Wittman D-12 Bonzo - 2004/07
GEE BEE, LAIRD, CAUDRON,
Howard, and Wedell-Williams are
names that conjure up memories of
the colorful, exciting airplanes that
competed in the Thompson Trophy
races more than 50 years ago. Until
recently, most of us had to be content
with viewing old film clips or building
models of these fascinating aircraft.
Lately a fortunate few have been
able to create fullscale
replicas or
restorations of
these old race
airplanes. As a
result of a
groundswell of
such activity in
recent years, approximately 20 racing
replicas showed up at the 1995
Experimental Aircraft Association flyin
at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. And model
fliers, not to be outdone and ever on the
lookout for exciting, fun events, are
promoting various sorts of old-time race
airplane speed events in contest
schedules across the country.
Chester Special - 2003/10
MANY YEARS AGO when the final bell
would ring and classes were dismissed, my
grade-school classmates and I would race as
fast as we could to the model-airplane-club
meeting at the nearby Settlement House.
This gave us a few precious extra moments
to spend building our models.
Laird Super Solution - 2009/05
A CL 1/2A-powerhouse version of the Bendix race favorite
JIMMY DOOLITTLE RACED a tiny
Laird Super Solution biplane across the US,
making a record-setting flight to win the
1931 Bendix Trophy race. In the Thompson
Trophy race several days later, Doolittle
was forced to drop out with the Laird after
leading the pack for six laps, because of a
failing engine that was trailing a stream of
heavy black smoke. Being the magnificent
pilot that he was, he landed the aircraft
safely in front of the grandstands.
Stearman 4E - 2009/11
AT THE END of the 2007 contest season, a friend asked what model
I would build next. When I replied that it would be a Stearman, he got
excited because he thought I was going to do a PT-17—an old favorite
of his. When I said it was the Stearman 4EM, not the PT-17, his
puzzled expression left me no option but to tell him about my choice.
In 1930, the Standard Oil Company bought three Stearman 4E
biplanes. The “4EM” mark indicated that the machines were fitted
with removable front cockpit covers, which would permit them to
carry mail or other cargo in that compartment.
Rose Parrakeet
TUCKED AWAY in one of the hangars at the Antique Airplane Association Museum in Ottumwa, Iowa is a little 60-year-old biplane whose jaunty go-go looks belie its age. Jack W. Rose designed and built eleven Rose Parrakeets between 1931 and the beginning of World War II. Rose wanted to manufacture and sell these airplanes, so he poured a lot of money and effort into getting a CAA Approved Type Certificate for it. This was a really fine sporting aircraft; a nimble, outstandingly aerobatic mount, stressed to nine negative Gs. It had a low wing loading and a nearly symmetrical airfoil, and it could take off and land in fifty yards. Flyaway cost from Chicago was $1475 ($975 less engine) in the mid-1930s. Plans for the Parrakeet were made available in the late 1950s for about $100.
